Chapter 58: Chapter 58: Don’t Interfere With Me Figuring Out How to Kill You

"You again?"

Lin Qi’s mind was still preoccupied with how to kill Si Ying, and now the man himself had shown up at his door.

And inside a Liu’s Heavy Industry Branch, of all places!

He was still dressed in a fine suit, but compared to last time, the expression on the young man’s face was a little less polite and a little less deranged.

His face held a hint of melancholy, and even a bit of relief.

"I actually thought you were the Liu Clan’s heir. Turns out I guessed wrong."

Si Ying didn’t seem to be looking for trouble. His words even carried a hint of apology, showing none of his previous madness.

Lin Qi frowned slightly. "I don’t know what you’re talking about."

’With my status, I shouldn’t know anything about the heirs of the Si and Liu Clans.’

’Even after surviving last night’s assassination attempt, I shouldn’t be privy to the details.’

Si Ying gave a self-deprecating laugh. "You’re actually in a worse spot than I am? At least I know the truth of the matter."

Lin Qi retracted his judgment. ’This guy is still a lunatic.’

Although this was a Liu’s Heavy Industry Branch, they were still in a public place. Certain things couldn’t be said here.

"Care to talk?"

Si Ying extended an invitation, apparently wanting to tell Lin Qi something.

"Whatever you have to say, you can say it here." Lin Qi refused flatly.

No matter how down on his luck Si Ying seemed, he was still a member of the Si Clan—not to mention their public-facing heir.

Si Ying shrugged. "If you want to talk here, that’s fine. It makes no difference to me."

He followed up with another sentence: "After what happened last night, with the intelligence of an A-level Researcher, I imagine you’ve guessed a few things."

Lin Qi’s brow furrowed even deeper. ’What is this Si Ying up to? What is he trying to say?’

He had a feeling that if they kept talking, Si Ying would say something outrageous.

But his intuition told Lin Qi he couldn’t leave just yet.

The feeling of being watched was intense. It wasn’t the gaze of a Mercenary, but it had to be an Extraordinary Professional.

Lin Qi had a good idea who was watching.

’Liu Xuan, Liu Li, or maybe even the train conductor, Liu Xingzhou.’

Si Ying’s visit to Liu’s Heavy Industries would never escape the notice of those few.

In fact, when he opened his Spiritual Vision, Lin Qi could see the two sisters, Liu Xuan and Liu Li, inside the elevator across from them. The doors simply hadn’t opened yet.

"What do you want to say?"

Lin Qi’s voice was icy and full of rejection.

"You’ve guessed it, haven’t you? You must have! The Liu Clan is using you as a sacrificial lamb, just like me!"

"An A-level Researcher? You’re just an L-Class. I’ve looked into it. They promoted you to A-Class, had you follow the Red and Green Train, and ride in carriage number one to Greenfield City, all so you would draw fire."

"It was all intentional!"

"Greenfield City and Red Fruit City are both facing a crisis. A major power wants to assassinate the heirs of the major corporations in both cities."

"You should have been dead. If it weren’t for me, their methods wouldn’t have been so refined. They never would have used Holy Light. They wouldn’t have ruled you out so quickly."

"You can’t hate me. You have to thank me. I saved you! You should call me your savior, kneel and kowtow to me, cling to my leg, and cry while you thank me!"

That inexplicable madness had returned to Si Ying.

He held nothing back, laying out everything he had done.

But...

’He’s using this to reveal his own status, not to tell me the so-called truth.’

’And he’s certain that I won’t refuse to listen. After a mysterious assassination attempt, I would never pass up a chance to learn the truth.’

’If I refuse to hear him out, it would only make me look more suspicious to outside observers.’

Lin Qi remained calm. Despite his loathing for Si Ying, he listened carefully to every word.

Lin Qi believed Si Ying’s true goal was to reinforce the outside world’s perception of his status.

The public-facing heir who was actually a target, a sacrificial lamb.

He was terrified that people wouldn’t see his true status and would make a move against him.

Lin Qi said nothing, falling silent as if processing the information he had just received.

...

Inside the elevator, its doors still closed, Liu Xuan had unknowingly clenched her fists.

Especially when she heard Si Ying mention "L-level Researcher," "promoted to A-Class," "carriage number one," and "intentional," it was as if she, Liu Xuan, had personally arranged all the dangers Lin Qi had faced.

Her prosthetic left eye glowed with an intense purple light—a sign that her Suppressor was increasing its power output.

Liu Xuan was experiencing intense emotional fluctuations.

Her arm trembled slightly, as if she wanted to throw open the elevator doors, give Si Ying a furious tongue-lashing, and then kick him out of the Liu’s Heavy Industry Branch.

"Sister, don’t be impulsive."

Liu Li quickly grabbed Liu Xuan’s hand.

Liu Xuan took a deep breath and said, "I know."

Whether it was because of the Suppressor or her own firm willpower, Liu Xuan didn’t let her anger overwhelm her reason, and she didn’t open the elevator doors.

Silence fell in the elevator for a moment.

Liu Xuan suddenly spoke. "Ah Li."

Liu Li looked into Liu Xuan’s eyes. "Hm?"

Liu Xuan continued, "After this crisis is over, and after you successfully inherit the Liu Clan, I hope..."

Liu Li cut her off. "I’ll kill Si Ying!"

"Good."

A smile appeared on Liu Xuan’s face, but the purple light flashing in her left eye grew even brighter.

The Suppressor’s power output was still rising.

...

Outside the elevator, Lin Qi remained with his head down in thought for a long time.

He looked up into Si Ying’s eyes. "Are you trying to drive a wedge between me and the company?"

It was a simple question, and it didn’t even seem like a direct response to what Si Ying had said.

Si Ying fell silent.

He had imagined many possible reactions from Lin Qi, but this wasn’t one of them.

"You think I’m trying to sow discord? Or do you think the Liu Clan treats you well? That they’re incapable of something like this?"

Perhaps because of his earlier outburst, Si Ying’s voice had grown hoarse.

"Aren’t they?" Lin Qi shot back.

After his retort, Lin Qi continued, "Perhaps you don’t know, but Red Fruit City is very different from Greenfield City."

"Red Fruit City has a sophisticated crime detection network and a low crime rate. Even someone like me, born on the city’s outskirts, was able to grow up safely."

"Red Fruit City has a structured education system. Without paying an exorbitant price, you can receive a basic education before the age of eighteen."

"After I turned eighteen, I joined Liu’s Heavy Industries. Relying on my Talent, I became an L-level Researcher within a single year. To this day, I’ve received a total of 644,000 Credit Points in bonuses on top of my salary."

"I think Liu’s Heavy Industries is very different from your Si Pharmaceutical."

"At least on the streets of Red Fruit City, you don’t see people from the lower class who’ve overdosed on drugs, wandering the streets like zombies."

Lin Qi said a lot of nonsense, but it all sounded like the truth.

These words were meant for Si Ying, but also for the source of that intense gaze.

Lin Qi almost moved himself with his speech, as if Liu’s Heavy Industries were truly more humane than other major corporations.

Of course, the main reason Lin Qi spouted such nauseating rhetoric was to get Si Ying to leave quickly.

No matter what more Si Ying said, it wouldn’t change Lin Qi’s mind.

’Hurry up and get lost. Don’t distract me while I’m trying to figure out how to kill you!’

This was what Lin Qi was really thinking, but he would never say it out loud.